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  • Day 10

    Lake louise

    August 5, 2017 in Canada ⋅ ☀️ 5 °C

    The hotel was very nice and beds comfy and we had a sleep in until going down to breakfast at about 9.30. A coffee pot was available from 6 in the ice machine area which was right next to our room, so we had a really good cup whilst waking up. The filter coffee throughout our trip has been very good. We had to check out by 11 so packed up and got the porter to help us with bags to the car.

    The kids really wanted to go in the pool, so we relented. Tash and Sam got some creams and make up from the spa shop then Ed, Tash and I went into the pool. It was fairly cold, but there was a whirlpool hot tub too. I dipped into the main pool but then had a soak in the hot tub. Tash and Ed played in the pool for 40 minutes or so. On getting out, much excitement was caused by the costume drying machine - basically an old school spin dryer, but it did do the job. We were the only ones in the pool so it was nice.

    Got directions and a discount coupon from the reception for the Lake Louise gondola and headed there. Parking at the Lake itself fills up by 9 or 10 o clock, but the gondola has good parking and a shuttle bus up to the lake. Got parked fine and bought combo dining tickets for the gondola, giving us extra credit for any of the food outlets on site. We joined the queue to go up, wasn't too long but got a lot longer after we joined it so we got lucky. There was a shorter queue to go up in a cabin rather than a chairlift, but only every 4th one was a cabin so though shorter it moved slower. We wanted a chair anyway as this was known as a good place to spot bears below, easier from a chair lift. The lad scanning tickets was from Salisbury and amused us as Chinese folks applied their loose interpretation of queues and ticketing and he tried to keep them in order and make sure everyone had a ticket. The kids played croquet and giant Jenga while we queued, until we got near the front. The trip up was smooth but we didn't see any bears unfortunately.

    At the top the views across to Lake Louise nestled between the mountains at quite a high elevation were very good. We walked down to the restaurant and got a table on the patio overlooking the lake on the other side of the valley. The food was decent but took a long time to come. We skipped desserts and went downstairs to the wildlife exhibition where they had various stuffed animals, cougar, moose, bears. We bought another cuddly bear and a baby bald eagle. Half way back to the gondola, Sam happened to mention she was hot in her fleece, which triggered Tash to remember she didn't have her jumper with her. She raced back to the restaurant and reclaimed it and down we went. No bears again this time either.

    At the bottom we tried to find the photo they had taken but couldn't see it in the list. None of us had been ready for it anyway so doubt would have been any good. Got a magnet from the souvenir shop then headed outside to get the 2.50 bus to the lake. The queue was already quite long and when it came the bus was only a 24 seater and we didn't get on. Another was coming just behind though and we got on that ok. It went via the Mall we had stopped at for the visitor centre the night before. From there the driver seemed to be going the wrong way back to the gondola and sure enough she did a u turn after a couple of minutes - think she just forgot where she was going!

    We got up to the lake and were dropped right outside the Fairmont hotel. Walked round to the lake front and got a spot on the rocks - it was very busy. Ed took off his shoes and socks and paddled in the water. for a few seconds at a time as it was glacial water and thus freezing. Tash followed suit shortly after. We took a load of photos - the lake was a lovely blue colour and surrounded by mountains on three sides, but I think many of the views and mountains we had seen on the parkway were prettier or more spectacular. Ed fancied hiring a canoe on the lake, but the queue was long and we had quite a drive to Revelstoke ahead of us, so decided to catch the bus back. Had traded more time at the hotel for time at the lake and this was right choice I think. The first bus was full without us and so we had to wait another 10 minutes or so for he next one. They definitely need to get more organised with transport options to these places.

    Back at the gondola we went to the loo, kids got ice creams and we set off for Revelstoke. An easy drive along highway one for 250km or so, about 2.5 hours. There were roadworks in various places with reduced speed limits. They are obviously trying to widen the road. As ever in Canada was very hard to know what the speed limit was at any time, they don't put enough signs up, especially when a reduced limit reverts back to normal.

    We blasted straight through and just over half way passed a sign saying change of time zone, put clocks back an hour. We were now in British Columbia and Pacific time. We saw our first forest fire with flames high up on the mountain on the opposite side of the valley to the road. With time change we got to the hotel about 6.15 and checked in. All in one room this time, a big one with two queen beds and a sofa bed. Ed got the queen this time, Tash the sofa. We booked dinner in the hotel for 7. Tash came down but felt sick so went back to the room, think she was just tired. We all decided to order from the less formal lunch menu having had quite fancy food for lunch ourselves. Ed had chicken strippers (again, same as lunch), Sam had steak and I had some nachos with pulled pork and some onion rings. Was all good but rings and nachos were big portions and I couldn't finish it. They offered to box it up so we did and took it to the room. Had to get extra keys done at reception as calling Tash went unanswered so we assumed she had fallen asleep. Whilst there we booked Pipe Coaster tickets for tomorrow. Got into the room and Tash was awake, just not got her phone near her. She devoured the nachos, so that worked well. We found some Friends on TV and watched that for a bit before all going to sleep.
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